Annual Global Fair Celebrates Rivers’ Multicultural Community

While this event has previously revolved around stage performances, this year’s fair marked a deliberate shift toward focusing on interactive stations around the dining hall. The 15 stations offered hands-on activities, cultural practices, and educational displays designed to foster deep community engagement.

“Global Fair puts emphasis on the deeply educational and interactive elements of our community’s diverse heritage,” said Andrea Villagrán, director of global education. “With our student- and professional community-led tables, we created spaces for intimate, meaningful dialogue. It’s incredibly powerful to see our community learn from one another not just as spectators, but as active participants in these shared traditions.”

With “Global Fair Passports” in hand, attendees collected stamps as they navigated the room over the course of the evening. The diverse array of stations included a Chinese calligraphy workshop, Bulgarian embroidery on paper, and informational displays by the Model UN team, BRIDGE, and GSA, among others. Visitors also learned to write their names in Hebrew at a Jewish affinity table, crafted paper red carnations with faculty member Feryal Sacristán Muñoz in honor of the Feast of San Isidro in Madrid, participated in a vibrant hand-printing activity celebrating the Hindu festival of Holi with professional community members, played dominoes with HAMACA (Hispanic, Antillean, Mestizo, Afro-Caribbean, Central/South American) affinity students as well as faculty members Patricia Barrios and Zaidimary Barreto, and learned about Juneteenth from leaders of the Black Student Union at their table.

While the evening prioritized interactive booths, rhythm and movement still found a central place in the festivities. Caroline Sorel ’27 read the poem “Ma Bohème” by Arthur Rimbaud in French. Renu Goyal Vallier P’27, P’29 performed a Bollywood dance to “Batimeez Dil.” The performance quickly evolved into an interactive lesson that got attendees moving. 

The centerpiece of the evening for many was the rich assortment of global cuisine. The dining hall was filled with the aromas of a homemade international buffet, with many dishes carrying deep ties to family histories. Attendees feasted on offerings from professional community members, including Sadie Peña’s plantains, Karin Narcisse’s Haitian beef patties, Zaidimary Barreto’s flan and tembleque, Laura Nicholson’s Italian pizzelle cookies, Yoshi Fujita’s Japanese char shiu BBQ pork, and Victoria Mizzi’s butter tart squares. The expansive menu also featured dishes from students and families: steamed rava idli with coconut chutney from Gaiyatri Mathew ’27, mandazi from Rosemary Nyamoki P’29, Haitian macaroni and cheese from Denise Lys P’24, ’29, empanadas from Mel Mejia P’28, chicken dumplings and veggie spring rolls from Holly Zhu P’26, Southern pimento cheese and peach cobbler from Jackson Grove ’27 and Nikki Grove P’27, P’31, and Bangladeshi chotpoti from Sarah Rahman P’29.

The night also included a cherished Global Fair staple: A traditional Ethiopian coffee ceremony led by Abby Geremew P’27, ’28. Captivated onlookers watched the meticulous process of roasting green coffee beans on-site and brewing them in a traditional jebena, serving as a final, warm symbol of hospitality and togetherness.

“Today is a celebration of the incredible diversity of cultures, traditions, heritages, and identities that make our Rivers community what it is,” Villagrán said. “Every single person in this space brings something unique and meaningful to this school, and today we get to experience that together.”